Feel The Wrath
by Lord de Seis
Summary: Set in an alternate universe around Wrath of Heaven. A mysterious stranger is in the bamboo forest. Who could it be? Finished
1. The Mercenary

Feel The Wrath*  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own Escaflowne or Tenchu. An: This is an alternate universe where Echigoya is alive.  
  
Chapter 1: The Mercenary  
  
It had been a year since Rikimaru and Ayame had left Gohda's service and become mercenaries. They were training in the Bamboo Forest when he heard something rustling in the trees. He raised a hand to silence Ayame and moved silently forward. He saw a movement between two trees and used his grappling hook to climb to the top of a tree. He looked down and saw someone walking along an overgrown path. These forests were full of ninjas, human and demon, spirits and wolves. Yet this stranger was walking as if he hadn't a care in the world. He was pale and had symbols tattooed on his right arm. He heard a click and a whirr as Ayame was pulled up beside him. "Who's that?" she whispered. "It looks like Onikage," Rikimaru answered, "But he is long dead. He is quite thin and pale but I can feel a strange power emanating from him. Perhaps he has magic." At that point the stranger stopped. He flicked his tongue out, as if to taste the air. A smile spread over his mouth. He drew five throwing daggers, not unlike the ninjas' crimson blades and spread them out across his hand. He spun around quickly, letting the daggers fly. There were several thuds, followed by gushing noises. Rikimaru looked down and saw five ninjas lying dead on the forest floor. The stranger made a sudden jump and stood on the top of a bamboo tree with expert balance. He looked at the two Azuma and their weapons. He looked disappointed. "I expected something bigger," he said "What a disappointing catch. Still, I could use a proper fight." He started to smile. "Azuma ninja?" "Yes," said Rikimaru. "Mercenaries?" "Yes," said Ayame. "Oh good. It has been a long time since I had a proper fight. Even those ninja demons are no match for me now." He drew a long katana with symbols engraved on it. Blue sparks danced along its edge. He jumped forwards into a clearing and beckoned to them. They both jumped down, drawing their weapons as they fell. They landed perfectly but He was already moving towards them with his sword in his hand. He swung and grazed Rikimaru's left arm. Rikimaru swung his sword and left a large slit in His shirt. He tore the rest of it off and threw it down. He ran at Ayame and grabbed her neck. He lifted her up off the ground and slowly tightened his grip. Rikimaru gave him a flying kick at the base of his spine and he dropped her. He stumbled for a moment and that was all Rikimaru needed. He took Izayoi and thrust it through his stomach. He stumbled for a second and fell over. Rikimaru took a health potion and gave it to Ayame. She was drinking it when something knocked it out of her hand. It landed on the ground with a shard of ice sticking right through it. She turned around and the stranger was there, Izayoi still in his chest, laughing. "Fools," he said "Poor weak, pathetic fools," he laughed mirthlessly. He grabbed Izayoi's handle and pulled it out of his stomach. Blood poured out for a second and then stopped. He swung his hand in an arc and glyphs appeared in the air. He pulled his fist back. "Ayame, run!" Rikimaru shouted, recognising the Wrath of Heaven. Ayame didn't need to be told twice. She had seen this very move performed on Onikage. It had left him a red stain on the wall. She ran back and stood behind a tree. Rikimaru dodged at the last minute and His fist hit a tree, which broke in two and fell on a wolf. "Damn!" He shouted. The Wrath of Heaven had left him completely drained of power. He had just enough to do one last thing. He took a piece of paper from his pocket and wrote something on it. He put it on a dagger, which he hurled at a tree. He then did a backflip high into the air. There was a boom and a flash and He was gone. Rikimaru took the note and read it. It said:  
  
" Well done, ninja. Follow the trail and you will find me.  
  
Yours,  
Van Fanel."  
  
"Who was it?" Ayame asked. "Someone called Van Fanel," Rikimaru replied. What did he mean by follow the trail? Rikimaru thought to himself. Little did he know, he would soon find out.  
  
An: Read and review! Come on! It's my first fic in ages. No flames please. P.S (To everyone who's heard of me.) I bet you all thought I was dead, didn't you! * Aka Lord de Seis versus writer's block: Round 1 


	2. The Nomad

Feel The Wrath  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne or Tenchu  
  
Chapter 2: The Nomad  
  
Van had spent five years now wandering from place to place, fighting people. None of them had been worthy of his time, except for those two Azuma. "I wonder if they'll realise what they have to do to find me. It will be quite obvious, if they hear any news within the next week," he said. "Whom will I get next?" he wondered aloud. He then saw a sign that read "Echigoya Estate. Five miles." "Perfect," Van whispered, and set off down the path. Soon everyone would know the name of this Nomad.  
  
Rikimaru and Ayame were walking into town when they heard someone shouting "Murder! Murder!" They drew their weapons and ran to the source of the cry. There was an old woman pointing to a young man lying dead on the ground in an alley, in a pool of his own blood. There was a throwing dagger straight through his head. Scrawled in his blood on the wall was a message. It said, "Follow the trail." Suddenly Rikimaru knew what Van had meant. A trail of blood and bodies.  
  
It was dark when Van got to the Echigoya estate. There were lots of guards around but Van was sure they would be no match for him. He jumped up onto the roof and ran across it. He was running quickly on the tiles but somehow he made no sound. He saw a guard turning away from him and seized his chance. He jumped down and ran up the guard, drawing his sword. He jumped into the air and swung the sword in a wide arc. It caught him on the back of the neck. It didn't kill him but he was knocked out and would probably be in very great pain for the next few days. He walked on and heard the sound of drunken guards messing around. He jumped onto the roof and walked to the place above where the guards were. He used a mirror and saw that the guards were facing away from him. He jumped down and drew three throwing knives, which he threw into the backs of the guards' necks. They fell down to the ground and died instantly. He walked over and took a set of keys from a guard's belt. He walked out and used them on a gate. It opened and he turned a corner. A guard saw him and pointed a pike at him. He made a thrust but Van was too quick. In a few seconds the guard's head was rolling across the floor. He took the pike and walked on.  
  
Rikimaru and Ayame had been asked by Echigoya to protect him as he had heard someone was coming after him. They agreed, but only because he was the highest bidder. Ayame stood on the roof watching, while Rikimaru went around with Echigoya. It was around midnight when Ayame saw a white flash in the corner of her eye, followed by something falling. She jumped down and ran towards the place where the thing had landed. She saw a figure that looked familiar. She walked up and Van jumped up. He started to attack but Ayame was too quick for him and slit his throat. "Well, that's the end of that," she said, looking at Van's dead body. Then a voice at her ear said "I would have thought that you would have some experience with shadows by now, Azuma." Then she felt a sharp blow to the side of her head and fell down, unconscious. "Good girl," said Van," Just like that." He jumped onto the roof and in a few seconds he was out of sight.  
  
Rikimaru was watching Echigoya in his bedroom when he made one of the most deadly mistakes a guard can make: He relaxed. He took a rice ball from a plate next to Echigoya's bed. Normally he would never do this but he was exceptionally hungry. Then he suddenly felt numb. The door opened and in walked Van. "Really Rikimaru," he said. "I would expect you to be wary of your own tactics. Then Rikimaru realized: The rice balls were poisoned. He fell over, unable to move. He was forced to watch as Van somehow summoned two shards of ice from the air and threw them straight through his eyes. Blood seeped out and ran down his face, as if he was crying. He seemed to be saying, "You have failed me Rikimaru!" Van put his finger in the blood and ran off. Rikimaru was only able to say one word as he drifted off into unconsciousness. "Damn."  
  
The next morning when Ayame woke up she was incredibly shocked at the message written in giant letters on the wall of the house. It read, "Is that all?" as if Van was mocking them. She ran inside the house and found Rikimaru. She prodded him and he sat bolt upright. "Where is he!" he shouted. "Don't worry," Ayame said. "He got me too. I fell for a trick. He used a shadow to trick me into thinking I'd beaten him." "I ate a poisoned rice ball." "Come on, let's go. No need for this to get out." "Understood." Rikimaru picked up Echigoya's body and went outside, where he buried it in the earth. They walked out the gate, thinking, Where will he strike next?  
  
An: just where will he strike next? We will never know until the next chapter! Read and review! Hope you like it so far! Find out what Van will do next, next time on Dragonba. I mean Feel The Wrath! 


	3. The Evil That Men Do

Feel The Wrath Disclaimer: I don't own Tenchu or Escaflowne An: As you may have noticed some chapter titles are Iron Maiden songs. I don't own them. I don't own the Ginger Beer Trick either. People who have read Night Watch by Terry Pratchett will know what I mean. Haha.  
  
Chapter Three: The Evil That Men Do  
  
Van ran from the Echigoya estate for an entire night. He didn't stop once because he knew the second Rikimaru and Ayame became conscious they would come after him. After he reached the place he called home he stopped running. He barricaded the door and created a giant wall of ice in front of and behind it. He decided to call it a day and went to bed. As he got undressed he saw a painting of a girl. He saw it every day but tonight it meant something to him. It was the anniversary of the time his girlfriend, Hitomi Kanzaki, had been killed in an attack during a war. He remembered it vividly and dreamt about it every night. He could hear the screams, smell the blood, and feel the heat of the fire. They had been sleeping in this very house when they had come. Van had been a soldier, so it was no surprise when they attacked him. Some friends were staying with them, Dilandau Albatou and Celina Schezar. When they attacked Dilandau had run into Van's bedroom and told him. Celina and Hitomi were killed, but he never found out what happened to Dilandau. All he knew was his clothes and weapons were gone, but since a pair of Van's gauntlets was also gone it just meant the survivors of the attack just helped themselves. There weren't many survivors though. It had been the first time Van went into his Battle Rage. Everyone who had seen it referred to it as The Frenzy. Whenever something or someone that meant something to Van was destroyed, it happened. He suddenly felt really strong, his eyes glowed a deep shade of blue, and his weapons started to glow. Also, strange black wings sprouted from his back. The last time he used it was when he was fighting for his life after being captured by the enemy. It happened because they took a knife Dilandau had given him once and snapped it. It was the one of two things Van had had to remember him by. Now he had one thing, a scorch mark on the wall from where Dilandau had first used his powers of fire. He got into bed and fell asleep.  
  
Rikimaru and Ayame were walking through the forest searching for Van when they heard a strange, cold laugh. Thinking it was Van they drew their weapons. Then a large ring of fire surrounded him. A figure jumped down from a tree and shouted, "You're on the right track, Azuma, but to get to Him you have to go through me!" He drew a long katana and started to chant something. In a few seconds the sword as engulfed in bright orange flames. He ran forward and Rikimaru realised with a start that his eyes had turned bright red. Ayame couldn't see properly because of the heat haze but she ran at something clad in red and black armour. He had his back to her but he knew she was coming. He stuck out his elbow and it hit her in the chest. Then he lowered his forearm and hit her in the stomach, then raised it and hit her in the face. She fell to the ground, knocked out cold. Rikimaru shouted, "You're going to pay for that!" He ran at the attacker, his sword high above his head. The attacker jumped above him and ran away into the forest, shouting "Dilandau Albatou! Remember the name!"  
  
It had taken a while but Dilandau had finally found Van's old house. Dilandau had used to be noble, but then Celina and Hitomi were killed, and Van went missing, and he had lashed out at the world, killing people he didn't think deserved to live. In the past few days he had realised Van had done the same. Maybe the house would give him some clue about Van's whereabouts. He reached the house and saw the door. He ran up to it but saw that it was covered in ice. He put his hand on it and a jet of fire shot out of his palm. If the door was covered in ice, maybe Van was there! He broke it down because it was locked and started looking for Van's bedroom. He found it and went inside, where he felt a knife at his throat.  
  
"Who are you?" Van said, pressing the knife against Dilandau's throat. "Van?" Dilandau said, uncertain. "Dilandau?" Van said, realising, whose throat his knife was pressed against. He released Dilandau and said, "I can't believe it's you! I thought you were dead!" "I thought the same about you!" Dilandau replied, starting to smile. Then he remembered something. "I think these are yours, old friend," he said, handing Van a pair of gauntlets with claws on the fingertips. The claws had strange carvings on them. "The wind claws! I thought these were destroyed in that attack!" "No, I took them when I left so that wouldn't happen." Van stood, looking at the gauntlets. The Wind Claws gave their wearer the power to control the wind. You could change he direction and force of the wind. Or use it to make yourself fly. "These will be really useful to me. I suppose you've heard about my recent trouble with the Azuma." "Yes, and I'm glad you've finally come to see the world for what it is." "A place full of despair, hate and lies. I don't suppose you'd want to come along with me?" "I would be honoured to work alongside the great Van Slanzar de Fanel." "Good." And with that, they set off into the night.  
  
Rikimaru carried Ayame back to their house on the outskirts of the forest and set her down on the bed. She seemed to have burn marks on her head, stomach and chest, but that wasn't possible because their attacker had only hit her with his elbow and fist. He applied bandages to her wounds and then his. He got into his own bed and slept.  
  
Rikimaru woke with a start around 2.00 am. He heard something outside, like quiet footsteps. H quickly got dressed and put on his weapons. He silently went outside and climbed onto the roof. He drew his sword and heard a sound like metal on stone. He crawled over to the edge and looked down into the darkness. Suddenly, it became fiercely bright as a huge jet of flame came from the round at him. He jumped into the air but was caught by surprise as an immensely strong gust of wind hit him in the chest, knocking the wind out of him. A figure came flying at him and punched him in the face, sending him flying towards the earth. He never landed though, as someone kicked him at the base of his spine, sending him into the air once more. He fell into the arms of one of his attackers and saw his face. It was Van. "Night, night Azuma," he said, and Rikimaru passed out.  
  
When Rikimaru woke up he was shackled to a cave wall. His head was pounding and there was a light so bright coming from the other end of the cave he couldn't see. Then, suddenly, the light went out, leaving Rikimaru in complete darkness. He could hear strange whispers coming from all sides and a strange mist began to twist itself into mysterious shapes. He thought he could see faces, but then he blinked and they were gone. The whispering grew louder until it was actually quite loud and no longer whispers. He could hear what they were saying. Things like "Please, don't hurt me!" and "Oh, please God, NO!" Then there was a brief flash of light and candles lit all around the cave. He saw various implements of torture around the room, from fiery pits to bottles of ginger beer. Then a trapdoor opened and something fell from it. A mocking voice said "Some company for you, Azumaaaaa!" There was a loud thud and Rikimaru saw a female body lying on the ground. "Ayame!" he shouted. She sat up slowly and turned her head towards him. "Rikimaru," she said. "What's happening?" and fell back down again.  
  
An: Woah, long chapter! Reviewwwwwwwwwwww! 


	4. Vengeance

Feel The Wrath  
  
Chapter Four: Vengeance  
  
Van and Dilandau were sitting above the cave where Rikimaru and Ayame were imprisoned having a drink. "Well," Van said. " That's another two of my enemies out of the way." "For now," Dilandau said. " They may yet escape." ""True, true. Anyway, I think I may pay them a visit, give them a taste of things to come." "I think I'll come too." They walked down a spiral staircase carved into the rock and Van pressed his hand against a symbol etched into it. A slab of stone slid across, leaving an open doorway. They walked in and Rikimaru was sleeping. "Shall I," said Van, raising his hand. Dilandau nodded and Van slapped Rikimaru on the face and Dilandau kicked Ayame in the stomach. "What the hell are you doing!?" Rikimaru shouted at Van. "I believe," said Van, starting to smile," That I just slapped you across the face." Ayame groaned on the floor and Dilandau kicked her again. "Leave her out of this!" Rikimaru shouted. "Why? So she can kill us as soon as we let her go? I don't think so!" "But she's injured!" "So," Dilandau said, turning away from Ayame. "You're one of those truth, justice, freedom types, eh?" Dilandau sneered. "Well, Rikimaru, wake up and smell the shit! The world is not like that!" "He's right," Van said, turning towards the wall, where there was an engraved longsword with gems set into it. He took it down and placed the tip at Ayame's throat. "Just one twitch," he said, starting to smile. "That's all it will take." "You wouldn't," Rikimaru said, although there was a slight uncertainty in his voice though. Rikimaru had dealt with Van's type before. They weren't insane. They were completely sane. They didn't see the fluffy pink lining around life. Usually it was because something extremely bad had happened to them. "He's right," Van said, putting the sword away. "I wouldn't. Dilandau, take her back to her home. If she wakes up, drop her and run." Van walked out, followed by Dilandau, who was carrying Ayame. They closed the door and Rikimaru realised. In all the talking they hadn't realised that Rikimaru was slowly pulling the chains out of the walls. After a few hours he was free. He took a katana off the wall and waited by the door. It opened and Rikimaru swung the sword. He heard a gasp and blood sprayed out next to him. A body fell forward. It was Dilandau. He ran out and up the stairs. There was a door and Rikimaru ran out it and into the night. As he ran he heard a scream. At first it was an ordinary scream, mostly of sorrow, but then changed to a primal roar. He could hear Van's voice screaming, "I'll get you Azuma, someday, somehow, I'll get you and you'll pay for what you've done!" And he just ran faster.  
  
Back at Van's house Van was Hammering at the walls, frustrated. "No," he screamed. " I can't be alone! NOT AGAI N!" And with that, he channelled all his magic into his hand and stuck it into Dilandau's chest. The magic started to work and the blood stopped spurting from his throat. The cut healed until it was a thin white line and when Van pulled his hand out his chest was completely healed. In about a day the blood would be replaced and Dilandau would regain consciousness. Until then, he knew what he had to do. He could feel it happening. The ancient, raw power of The Frenzy was welling up inside him. His vision was turning red and, although he couldn't see it, his eyes were too. Strange black armour with silver edging was appearing on him. He had a golden sword and a black shield. He ran out the door, going twice as fast as Rikimaru had been. After a few minutes he came to a river with footprints leading away from it. Surely it must be a trick, he thought. No Azuma would ever be that stupid. He flicked his tongue out and tasted the air. Sure enough, he could sense a man running in the other direction. He ran and after a while he saw him. He jumped up and started jumping from tree branch to tree branch. Eventually he caught up with him and jumped down, slamming him to the ground. He started punching him in the face and his eyebrow started to bleed. "YOU WILL PAY!" Van screamed, and then Rikimaru realised it was Van. He slowly became incredibly scared as he realized what was happening. He had expected it, but he never thought it would be this bad. It was the frenzy. Then he heard a voice. "Van, stop!" He recognized it but he had never thought he would hear it again. He turned around and, sure enough, there she was. Standing in the middle of the forest, with the silver hair and blue eyes. "Celina," Van whispered, disbelieving. To his eternal regret, Rikimaru saw this as a chance to get a few hits in. He jumped at Van, who threw his elbow back and got him in the stomach. Normally this wouldn't be SO bad but Van's armour had spiked elbows. "What are you doing?" Celina said. "The Van I knew would never do something like that!" Van spat, his saliva tinted red. He looked up at Celina with his pure blue eyes and said, quietly," The Van you knew died with Hitomi." "Why are you trying to kill this man?" "He killed Dilandau." "What?" "I brought him back but Rikimaru has to pay for what he did!" "Let him go!" "WHY THE HELL SHOULD I?" "Because this isn't the way you used to be! You used to be noble and chivalrous! What happened to you?" "I grew up," Van said slowly, and turned around and began to walk away. "Dilandau's back that way if you want to see him," he said, pointing towards his house. And then he jumped up, there was a flash and a noise like a whip crack and he was gone. Celina turned around and walked towards Van's house.  
  
An: That's that chapter done. I'm done with that chapter now. 


	5. The Flight of Icarus

Feel the Wrath  
  
Chapter 5: The Flight of Icarus  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne, Tenchu or Love Is Only A Feeling.  
  
Celina was running towards Van's house. She was thinking about Dilandau. What if something had gone wrong with Dilandau's healing? What if he didn't recognize her? She thought about these things until she arrived. She walked in and there was Dilandau lying on the ground, unconscious. She knelt down next to him and suddenly his eyes snapped open. He sat up shouting, "Van, they've escaped! Van!" Then he noticed Celina. "Ce.Ce.Celina? Is it really you?" She nodded, too emotional to speak. She hugged him tightly and Dilandau asked, "What's happening? How did you get here? Aren't you supposed to be dead?" She whispered," sshhh." All she cared about was that she had found one of her friends, although the other two were gone. One dead, one alive on the outside, but dead on the inside.  
  
Van was running through the forest until he came to a waterfall. He walked up to the edge and stood there. He stretched his arms out and thought, is it really worth it. All this pain and suffering, and what for? Just so I can put others through even worse pain and suffering. It isn't worth it. It's wrong. It's not worth it. He spread his wings out wide and flew back to his house.  
  
By the time Van got back to his house Celina and Dilandau had gone off into the forest to look for him. He walked in and went to his room. The Frenzy faded and he became himself again. He stared hard into the mirror for a long time and then whispered, "Tomorrow I am going to kill myself." He got changed and got into his bed. He fell asleep, waiting for the morning to come.  
  
The first flush of youth was upon you, when our eyes first met, And I knew that to you and into your life I had to get I felt light- headed at the touch of this stranger's hand An assault my defences systematically failed to withstand.  
  
In his dream he was back with Hitomi, when they had first met, when he was on a walk through the forest. She had been trapped under a branch and he had rushed to help her. He had freed her and taken her back to his house.  
  
'Cos you came at a time  
  
When the pursuit of one true love in which to fall Was the be all and end all  
  
He had put her in his bed and stayed with her all night, not lifting his gaze for a second. He had been so happy when she had awoken. She had a dislocated shoulder but she was okay. They had started talking and realised that they shared interests so they continued to see each other for several months until they discovered that they loved each other.  
  
Love is only a feeling (Drifting away) And when I'm in your arms I start believing (It's here to stay) But love is only a feeling Anyway  
  
They had spent some time travelling together, going around the country, on boat trips around the world and then one of many terrible things that would eventually tear them apart happened: He had to join the army.  
  
The state of elation that this unison of hearts achieved I had seen, I had touched, I had tasted and I truly believed  
  
Van woke with a start. He remembered it perfectly. That terrible night during he war when the only person he had ever loved, his Hitomi, had been killed. He got up, got dressed and put on his finest clothes. He was going to keep his word  
  
That the light of my life Would tear a hole right through each cloud that scudded by Just to beam on you and I  
  
He walked to the waterfall and stood for a few minutes, taking in the cool morning air. He spread his wings and flew up as high as he could go. Then he stopped flapping. He fell.  
  
Love is only a feeling (Drifting away) And when I'm in your arms I start believing (It's here to stay) But love is only a feeling Anyway  
  
Van had landed on a rocky platform so he was easy to see. He awoke, his whole body throbbing with extreme agony. He knew what was happening. The edges of his vision were going black but he saw someone he had not been expecting to see. "H.H.Hitomi?" he whispered. "Van!" she said. "What happened? How did you do this to yourself? I.I saw you fall." She was cut short by Van's finger pressing against her lips. This took half of Van's remaining strength. The other half was taken away by him saying, "I'm sorry, Hitomi, for all the trouble I've caused, tell that to Dilandau and Celina. Hitomi, I'll miss you, I love you." He let his head and his hand drop and Hitomi started to ask him something but Van never heard it, and he never would. He could have used his magic to heal himself, had he woken up a few minutes before he had, but it was too late. He just gave up. He let himself relax, and died. Hitomi just sat there, crying.  
  
Love is only a feeling (Drifting away) And we've got to stop ourselves believing (It's here to stay) 'Cos love is only a feeling Anyway  
  
An: I can't believe I just wrote that. I actually made myself cry. I'm sorry, but that's it. Feel The Wrath is over. 


End file.
